Communities across England are set to benefit from a significant expansion of Great British Energy’s solar panel programme, with £75 million in new funding confirmed to help over 70 NHS sites slash energy costs and carbon emissions.
This latest investment builds on the £180 million announced in March, bringing the total value of the scheme to £255 million. The funding will support around 250 schools, over 270 NHS sites, and 15 military facilities, helping public services transition to clean, renewable energy.
The solar panel rollout is already helping hospitals and schools reduce their energy bills and environmental impact. The newly funded NHS sites include:
- Large acute teaching hospitals
- Community hospitals
- Mental health and learning disability facilities
By generating their own electricity, these sites will benefit from long-term savings, improved energy resilience, and reduced reliance on fossil fuels.
The initiative is part of the government’s broader push to decarbonise public infrastructure, reduce costs for essential services, and support the UK’s net-zero targets. It also reflects the growing role of Great British Energy in delivering clean energy solutions nationwide.
Energy savings will be reinvested into frontline services, helping to improve care and education while supporting local communities.
Daniel Elkeles, Chief Executive of NHS Providers, responded to the announcement, commenting:
"It’s great news that even more NHS sites will get funding to install solar panels to help them cut their energy bills.
"Spiralling energy costs have landed hospitals with huge bills- more than £1.4billion since 2019.
"Supporting NHS trusts to generate their own solar power and to invest savings going back into local NHS services is good for patients, good for the environment and good for taxpayers."
Image credit: iStock
